Year of the Dragon
by Fenrir II
Summary: Year 2000, the year of the Dragon has arrived, but is there more to the stories then anyone could of imagined?
1. Dragon of the New Year

**Year of the Dragon**   
The following story is co-wrote by Eos Omega. 

"Year 2000, the year of the Dragon is arrived, but is there more   
to the stories then anyone could of imagined" - Eos Omega 

Disclaimer: I don't down the RoninWarriors, blah blah! You know the drill! The guys are 27 during this time. 

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The Guys had been waiting for this time to come. The had been sitting telling stories for the New Year. Glittering streamers with 2000 written brightly upon it laced the ceiling. Mia was up to tell her story, as she began the five guys munched on popcorn. Mia started telling her story. "Because this is going to be the year of the Dragon, I thought this would be a good story to be told." Rowen looked at Mia   
"Is this a legend your grandfather told ya?" he asked tucking a pillow under his head.   
"Yes. In fact he told it every time the dragon year was about to enter, it was said to bring all that hear it good luck." Mia replied. Rowen just nodded as he flipped on to his back his head laying on the pillow. another pillow was thrown by Ryo caught him on the stomach.   
"oof.." Rowen laughed   
"Let Mia tell the story!" Ryo hushed him. Mia giggled looking at the 27 year old guys acting like little kids. Cye was passing around Marshmallows, Which stopped at Kento's hands. Mia started her story the way she normally does. 

"My grandfather told me this story at the turned over every Dragon year. It was a time when the ear of the god where closing. The Gods had been silenced and only the Two Dragons God Still were still awake. The White Dragon God, Zertheron the god of Light, and the Black Dragon God, Syphton the god of Darkness. The two had battled long after the human gods had fallen. The High Priest of the White Dragon used a stone statue to seal the Black Dragon God away. Before the Syphton was sealed away by Zertheron, Syphton vowed to return again during the first of the new Dragon year. Zertheron's power now totally gone died, his High Priest is said to guard the statue, so that Evil Dragon God can never return to our world." Mia let her voice fade out of the story where the guys stared at her with wide eyes. Cye was leaning so far off the couch he almost fell off. Rowen had dozed in and out of Mia's story, catching most of it.   
"So are we suppose to have good luck all year?" Kento moved from sitting correct to sitting upside down chair. Mia nodded   
"Well all sounds like a fairy tail to me...." Rowen picked himself off the floor holding his pillow like a teddy bear. "...and I'm tired, so I'm off to bed guys..happy new year." He said dragging himself up the stairs rounding the corner. Everyone said good night soon after, Sage was the last one to go to bed. He stood outside on the balcony looking up at the night sky thinking of the stories. Sage felt a chill go down his spine, as the wind picked up, he shivered slightly. "Happy New Year World" he whispered to the wind before turning and walking to his room. He tip toed his way past a sleeping Rowen, then slipped into his own bed after changing. He waited for awhile before he was carried off into slumber.... 

But one remained awake while the rest of the world slept. His eyes pierced the night like living opals, his hair long and purple. Slender fingers connected to slender hands that met with a twilight body. A sudden hiss and evil laughter danced quietly in the night air. " The time has come. Do not Delay....after that all will be yours..." a voice rang of pure evil. His opal eyes turned toward the sound of music. A lively carnival was still open the rides empty for the most part. A grin formed on his face as he waved his hand out over the lively carnival, the music, lights and people stopped, leaving the park empty void of life and sound. A black goo rose up from the ground latching on to everything. His form dispersed into a liquid and soaked into the ground, leaving the spot where he stood, black and dead.   
  



	2. Dragon of the Carnival

**Year of the Dragon**   
The following story is co-wrote by Eos Omega. 

"Year 2000, the year of the Dragon is arrived, but is there more   
to the stories then anyone could of imagined" - Eos Omega 

Disclaimer: I don't down the RoninWarriors, blah blah! You know the drill! The guys are 27 during this time. 

**************************************************** 

Mia pounded on Ryo's door "Rise and shine!!!!" She called out. Ryo almost fell out of bed, Mia had scared him so bad. She moved down the hall to Rowen and Sages room again pounding on the door "Wake Up you TWO!!" Sage woke up, picking his head off the pillow.   
"Mia! It's called sleep and we would like to get some more of it!" Sage knew now that there was no way he was going to be able to go back to sleep so he sat up pushing the covers off him. He heard Mia's faint giggle then the pounding on Kento's and Cye's door. Then thunderous movements as Kento tried to be the first one to breakfast. Mia went walking down the hall again "Food is read so come down and eat." She said loudly for everyone to hear. Sage groggily moved over to get his clothes from his dresser then saw that Rowen, still laying in his bed, all snug under the covers, still fast asleep.   
"Rowen get up.." He said to wake up the sleepy ronin. Sage dove for a pillow on his bed, then hurled it at Rowen across the room, nailing him. Rowen just mutter something and put his arm around the pillow, still fast asleep. Sage sighed, going over to Rowen's bed to retrieve his pillow. He pulled on his pillow that Rowen was holding on to. 

"Wake up ROWEN!!" Sage growled as he pulled on the pillow harder. Suddenly he tumbled backwards, having lost his grip on the casing. A laughter was trying to hush itself quickly, but failed in doing so. Rowen was still trying to hold it in as he opened one eye, only to see Sage glaring at him from the floor. He couldn't stand it, the chained snickers where released into a loud laughter, as he threw the pillow back at Sage. Many exchanged blows were made before both guys fell over in laughter, the laughter even continued as they made their way down the stairs. 

"About time you two got down here." Mia sat their plates down in front of them. "Now hurry up and eat, so we can get going." 

Both of them shot confused looks at each other before turning the dumbfounded look at Mia.   
"Going where?" Sage questioned between bites.   
"The New Years Carnival" Cye was approaching from the kitchen, drying his hands with a towel.   
"We haven't been to one of those in awhile" Rowen stated, as he silently polished off his breakfast. 

"Would you guys calm down?" Mia laughed at the overly hyper Ronins, as they all piled into the jeep. They had to walk, what felt like a mile because of all the people attending the Carnival. Once inside they were surprised that there wasn't that many people roaming the fair grounds, but thought nothing of it. The smell of funnel cakes beckoned Kento and Rowen's noses, and they followed. They soon returned with 4 or 5 funnel cakes each, both scarfing them down, almost inhaling the powered sugar sprinkled on top. A quick snap of the camera and all 6 were one their way again. 

"So what are we going to do now?" Mia was digging deep into her pocket trying to find any more money.   
"Why don't we go in there?" Cye pointed to a tent near them. A small picket sign was stuck into the ground near the entrance, stating a Palm reader awaited inside.   
"No WAY!" Ryo laughed   
"Come on Ryo Pleeeeeaaase" the other whined at him. Ryo tried not to look at them, but the childish behavior they were putting on was causing head to turn.   
"Okay!! Just stop acting like little kids!!" Ryo voiced in defeat. High Fives were exchanged as they herded Ryo and Mia into the tent. The lights were dimmed as everyone squinted to see.   
"Hello?" Mia called out into the empty darkness. An elderly voice spoke out in return.   
"You want me to read your future, Yes?"   
"Wow...she's good..." Ryo made a smart remark in which Mia responded with a slap on the back of his head.   
"Please...take your seats around the table." The woman's voice instructed. All six gathered around the small round table, sitting down on the stools as they were told to do so. In the back of the tent, a black goo began to bubbled up and form, molding itself into an old woman. Her elderly hands reached out pulling back the flap that spilt the room, stepping out into the little lightly, her appearances all the more gypsy like. She took her seat at the table, her shoulders hunched forward, loops of gold hung from her ears. 

"Who shall be first?"   
Mia outstretched her hand, the back of her knuckled sliding across the table cloth. Bony fingers dressed with oversized rings grasped at the youthful hand, Mia shuddered at the incredibly cold flesh, another slender bony finger traced the lines carefully reading into the future...as well as a bit of the past. 

"You...will live a long life, full of adventure. I see a man also in your future, with a warriors heart...but who exactly is hard to say." A bright blush rushed over her cheeks, as the guys laughed and whistled jokingly. "However..." The palm reader's shaking voice hushed the laughter. "Great sorrow I see....now....fear as well....I dare not look any further." Mia's hand was released, baffled at what was just said. 

Next was Kento. "My , what big strong hands you have..." The woman's hands were dwarfed in comparison. "I see a rice maiden to enter your life soon. But I see something else...It is also sorrow...perhaps a defeat in some sort of battle....." His hand was released, quirking a tick eyebrow, a few unheard words left his mouth. 

She moved on to Cye. "For you...I see a scar of a mermaid...and I foresee...a shared defeat with your friend." Cye looked over at Kento, confusion in his eyes, but it was soon calmed by Kento's look of winning. Ryo was next. He refused for awhile till she called him by his full name, he stuck out his hand, the old woman grasping it. "My...27 and your all still single.." She stated as everyone laughed, the woman made sound, the sudden onrush of air hissed warning. "What?" Ryo asked in a worried tone. "A clear future....betrayal, grave sorrow, and flames of rage..." Ryo snatched his hand away, telling himself that the old woman was just that. 

Sage's hand already was outstretched, he had been awaiting silently, her fingers crept to his, then quickly retreated for a moment. She moved to them again, this time clasping his hands, with a forced smile. "Single as well....I guess your looks are not catching as many girls as you'd like hmm?" With that everyone, but Sage was laughing loudly, but turned into an uproar when Sage commented that his love life was going just fine. "The darkness will be your down fall, however light will cost you much grief..." She ended, releasing his hand. Everyone looked at each other not quite sure if to believe the fortune teller or not. 

Rowen was the last to get his palm read, he felt a shock go through him, as if someone had rubbed their socks on the carpets then discharged when they touched him. He cast aside the eerie feeling, listening to what she had to tell of his future. "Your future...is cloudy...empty as it were....I see the backs of people, a ghostly face...and darkness afterward...." Rowen pressed his lips together tightly, thinking now that it wasn't such a good idea to have come in here. The room was filled with silence, until it was broken by Mia.   
"How much do we owe?"   
The lady shook her head. "Not a thing, I feel sorry for having of told you, your fates...." She said with a smile, then thanked them as they left. Mia caught a glimpse of Ryo, Sage and Rowen, all three looking gloomy. "Come on guys. She was just putting on an act! It's not really going to happen!" Mia and the other two started trying to tell them to forget the old woman. 

Back inside the tent the old woman's features were starting to melt, her already disfigured form reshaping itself. A crackled let out, the female voice growing lower until it hissed of evil itself. "I have found what I was looking for, the one who will become the beating heart of life....My lord will be pleased." The black water soaked into the ground, leaving the grass brown and dead. 

With their minds now off the future teller, they found themselves stopping in front of the Fun House. Mia shook her head. "You guys can go in...I don't like those things." She smiled not being fond of places. "I'll wait for you guys out here.." The guys nodded as the rushed into the fun house, hooping and hollering, to busy to feel the evil starting to closing in around them. Half way through the house they came upon the mirror maze, they slowed, laughing at their reflections distorted by the bent glass.   
"Hey Kento check this one out!" Ryo laughed, turning around to show the guys his extremely thin reflection. His face went blank as he turned to find them all gone. "uh....Guys?" He sounded worried seeing himself surrounded by mirrors. 

Cye backed into a mirror "Who are you?!" Cye voiced out in fear.   
"Who are you!?" Cye's own voice echoed back. His reflection moved independently of him, smiling widely moving mirror to mirror. "What do you want?" Cye frighten asked, keeping his eyes on his moving reflections.   
"I want only what you want."   
"Oh Right...And what is that?"   
"Come here and I will tell you..."   
"I don't think so..."   
Cye was to busy keeping his eyes on the reflection moving back and forth in front of him, like a pacing lion kept in a small cage, to see another reflection moving behind him. From behind the image out stretched it's hands, the flat refection now becoming very real, quickly grasping the Warrior of Torrent and pulling him into the mirrors. His eyes glazing over as he was sucked into the image world, his body turning to ice, freeing him so brilliantly in his sub armor. 

"Your such a joke!" an image of Sage scoffed as it moved before the warrior. Sage was already transformed into full armor, his sword point on the ground. "I am nothing...no one will take me for who I am" The double ruffled it's hair.   
"What do you mean?"   
"I think you know.....one reason is why your hair is combed over your eye..." the imaged moved to a mirror closer to him.   
"Come...let me show you the reason.....you'll find it in here..." it continued. Sage was no longer finding the image of himself to be a threat, but something was wrong about it. His eyed widen as it tried to pull itself out of the mirror world, the glass bending and folding to a moving figurine. Startled he took a step back, his foot going numb. He had backed into a mirror, and it was pulling him in. his armor began to turn to a cold gray, his body becoming cold, and unmoving. Something was grabbing at him now. It was his image from behind him, as it tugged, and Sage could not stop it, his body becoming a stone statue inside the mirror world. 

"I'm so ashamed of myself!" Kento's image hung it's head. "I'm so weak" it kept on going.   
"What are you talking about? I'm not weak..." the real Kento stubbornly stated, "am..I?" he whispered for his own ears.   
"Yes, I'm so weak. I only can beat those weaker than me, there is nothing to be proud of." His imaged paced the glass in front of him. Kento was trying to figure out just what was going on, his thoughts could only drift toward Dais and the warlords illusions.   
"Yeah I bet....this is an illusion and I'm not falling for it.."   
The image was growing restless now, it's movement now completely awkward, jumping from one mirror to the next. "You'll fall for something..." the image angrily hissed in Kento's voice. Before Kento could reply, he felt himself sinking, his eyes wandered down, as the shadows swirled around him. It was like a dark quicksand, pulling him in fast the more he tried to get free. He felt a cold breath on his forehead, his head pulling up to look, finding a mirror above him now, as well as his glass image half way out of the mirror, smirking. The top mirror fell in, the image grabbing onto Kento, sandwiching him between the two mirrors, the shadows now fully incased him. 

Rowen held his bow out in front of him, his one arm already reaching backwards, ready to pull a bow at a moments notice. "What do you want?" His eyes darted to all of his reflections.   
"Your always worried about other...I think a better question would be..'what do I want?'" His reflections echoed. "What I want?" Rowen restated his question to see if he could get a few answers out of his many reflections.   
"I'm always doing things for others, they use me because I'm so smart, but I'm not am I?" another monotone statement from his images.   
"Use me?" He questioned the mirrors softly.   
"Yes, use me..." It replied back. 

Ryo was turning around in circles franticly looking at all his reflections talking to him at one.   
"I'm so scared" one stated.   
"I'm not brave" another said.   
"I really want to run away."   
Ryo covered his ears, the noise from all the voices were hurting his head, and filling himself with doubt. "No! I'm not afraid!" He yelled out to quite the voices.   
"But I am...."   
"I am.."   
Voice after voice reassured him, the voices rocking his ear drums. 

Rowen was shaking his head in disagreement. "They are my friends..." The stare down had turned into a small debate.   
"I don't have any friends, they don't want me around, that's why I am always last, or to be left behind....and my parent's..it's my fault they broke up." his double said trying to pull him into believing. "Always apart, never together.....You'll always be alone..." Again his image was saying. Rowen's defense stance was relaxed now, his eyes hitting the ground, looking at the tilting. His image took the time to reform into the mirror behind him, it's hand reaching out toward Rowen's shoulder.   
'People are connected by the sky' his mothers voice spoke to him from a memory. Rowen picked his head up, and spun around quickly   
"Your wrong" he yelled out, his hand sweeping back to pull an arrow. The image stopped, the glass hand pulling back a bit, a shy smile creeping across it's face.   
"No....I am right...I tell the truth..." It laid on the sweet honey in it's voice. Rowen's face filled with determination. "People are never alone...they are connected by the sky!" He shouted, notching the arrow and letting it fly at the mirror's. One after one he shattered them all, glass covered the floor, leaving only the frames of the mirrors. "Gotta find the others" Rowen picked a place to start walking toward, his footsteps breaking the pieces of shards beneath his feet. 

Ryo couldn't stand it anymore, his body was crouched down in his armor, his hands over his ears trying to stop the roar of voices, his whole body trembling, in the middle of the encircled mirrors.   
"It's not true..." he kept repeating to himself, while the mirrors kept telling him otherwise.   
"Ryo, those are not you. Don't fall into believing them!" A voice called out over the loud confusion. Ryo's head popped up, uncovering his ears to catch the owner's voice.   
"Rowen?" Ryo asked loudly, standing up straight.   
Rowen could only see Ryo in a room of mirrors, no reflections in the surrounding sheets of glass, and he could hear no noise either. His bow exchanged hands, placing his free hand against the window. With a touch, the image Ryo saw rippled and faded into Rowen's image.   
"Believe in yourself Ryo!!" Rowen cried out to him again.   
"We are yourself!" Ryo's images sung out loudly.   
"No your not....I might be afraid but I face my Fears!!" Ryo's hands flew to unsheathe his katana's, destroying the mirrors in a beautiful and quick dance. One Mirror remained, Rowen's hand was still against the now two way window. Ryo took a step back, before charging it, ready to break through the barrier, only to find himself falling right through it, landing at Rowen's feet.   
"You okay, Ryo?" he offered his hand to help his friend. Ryo reached up grasping it, and then pulled himself to his feet.   
"I didn't believe them for a second!" he stated in a calm, but jokingly manner.   
"Riiiight.." Rowen simply nodded. Ryo was about to make a smart remark in return, when a man stepped out from a veil of darkness.   
"For a moment I thought I had both of you..." his sinister voice echoed off the surrounding void. Both of the guys growled, taking up ready positions.   
"Who are you?" Ryo demanded, his kabana's clanking as he crossed them in front of him.   
"My name, Xenophe, but soon you will call me your god!" his voiced thundered his eyes flashed to that of a lizards for a brief moment.   
"What?!?!" Rowen yelled out, an arrow ready to be released. Xenophe's gaze crept to Rowen.   
"You shall know soon enough...all to well....." He smiled, a bright flash lit up the area, both of the guys, turned their heads, pulling hands over their eyes. When the light faded, they stood at the on the fair grounds, and the fun house was gone. 

Mia ran to them, while each tried to still get a grip on what just happened.   
"What happened? Where are the other guys? Are you two alright?" her questions seemed non stop till Rowen calmed her down.   
"We'll get them back" Ryo said to reassure her.   
"Who took them?"   
"He said his name was Xenophe." Rowen was looking around the area, seeing that there was no one left in the park was comforting, but uneasing at the same time.   
"Why does that name sound familiar?" Mia started thinking, searching her mind to place the haunting name. When named and story clicked, her face became even more baffled.   
"What is it Mia?" Rowen shot her a look.   
"Did Xenophe say anything else to you?"   
"Something weird like he's gonna be a god..." Ryo grumbled finding out for himself how empty the carnival was.   
"This isn't right..." Mia tugged at her hair trying to figure things out.   
"What isn't?" Ryo sauntered to her, as did Rowen.   
"Well If I remember correctly, Xenophe was the High Priest of the White Dragon God, but why would he do such a thing?"   
"Maybe he's the wrong Xenophe.." Rowen kneeled down on one knee.   
"Maybe he switched sides..." Came Xenophe's voice. Rowen remained where he was, already having an arrow strung, pointing it directly at the source of the voice.   
"Thanks for clearing that up for us." Ryo pushed Mia behind him for good measure, his voice holding no hint of sarcasm.   
"So what do you want now, Xenophe?" Rowen, shifted his weight slightly, to keep a steady aim.   
"I am going to give you the opportunity to get your friends back...but you have to come and get them..." He disappeared leaving a huge mirror in his place, his voiced seemed to fade off, but crept closer with the last word.   
"Now that's an invitation if I ever heard one..."   
"It's also a plainly stated trap if I ever heard one." Rowen stood up, placing the arrow back. "So Mia, the story you told us, is happening?" Rowen spoke to her, his eyes looking at the mirror, his voice so plain and calm. Mia nodded even though Rowen wasn't looking.   
"Well....Let's go" Ryo put his fingers to his mouth, whistling loudly for Whiteblaze, to always kept in ear's shot. Somewhere not to far off, the white tiger, stretched from from the cool patch of green grass it was laying on.   
"Whoa...We need a plan." Rowen watched as WhiteBlaze approached them, braking stride, and padding to Ryo's side.   
"Fine, here's the Plan, we go in free the guys and send Xenophe to...where ever." Ryo patted the tigers head, and took a step toward the mirror.   
"I'm going with you." Mia made her actions known by stepping in Ryo's way. He was already shaking his head.   
"Mia we don't know what we are going to find in there." Ryo started up his reasons, Mia placing her hands on her hips.   
"The more reason why I should go with you! I know the history of that place!" she motioned her head toward the mirror. "Remember? I know what is in there."   
"No"   
"Ryo, she's right. She knows a lot about this stuff, I say we take her with us...besides she might be safer with us. I don't know if you noticed but everyone in the park is...well..not here.." Rowen added, and Ryo started to weigh things out.   
"Okay, but stay away from the battles.." Ryo warned her. It was the same warning he had always given, but she was glad the Yuli wasn't around, it would only make her usefulness drop. She nodded and hopped on the back of the massive white tiger, Whiteblaze supporting her weight with ease. The three started to approach the mirror, taking a breath before stepping through. It was like stepping through a cold sheet of air. As they reached the other side, the mirror was gone, but none cared, their eyes gapped at the sight that was before them.   


.....to be continued.... 

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(ahaha!! yes I love to leave cliffhangers! deal with it! ^_^ Please don't hit me! I'm sorry lol)   
  
  
  



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